Mauritius: Mauritius is hosting the third edition of the National Acapella Competition to commemorate Seggae Day. The theme for the event was  ‘Lavwa Kaya Nou Repertwar’.
Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation, Jean Christophe Stephan Toussaint unveiled the event. The unveiling of the competition was hosted at the Helvetia Youth Hub.
The Mauritius Recreation Council (MRC) hosts the event for the people of the country. The event aimed to allow the participants of the event to show their talent in the Acapella.
The authorities want to promote Acapella as a recreational activity and potentially take it up as a career. The initiative aims to ensure that the youngsters do not indulge in deviant activities.
The launch event for the competition was attended by many members and important stakeholders of the MRC, including:
- The President of the MRC, Marie Pierrot Stephane Rock;
- Members of the MRC;
- Acapella coaches; and other personalities
Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation delivered a brief address on the event. Minister Toussaint dwelt on the Seggae music genre, invented in Mauritius by Joseph Reginald Topize, widely known as Kaya.
He stated that the genre has maintained momentum over the past 25 years. He further urged youngsters to get acquainted with the story of artists and what steered their creativity.
The minister acknowledged that acapella emerged as a simple idea but has now gained popularity owing to the national competition. He announced that the one-day final competition of the third edition will be broadcast on an international channel in the islands of the Indian Ocean, France, and in India on 01 June this year.
Besides, Minister Toussaint also reminded them that Mauritius will host the African Asia Pacific Choir Games in October 2025. This choral competition organized at the international level will also serve as an opportunity for participants. of the three editions of Acapella to demonstrate their talent.
The competition is open to all members of the country regardless of their age, gender et al. The event is an inclusive, recreational activity that is aimed at bringing people together
Yen groups comprising some ten to 15 participants from the nine districts of Mauritius, and Rodrigues, will be required to produce an Acapella song of a maximum of five minutes. In addition, qualified coaches will be posted in the ten venues to train the participants for three months in a bid to make them adept at Acapella.